Press Releases
SFH on HPV and pregnant women from the Mainland
Following is a transcript of remarks (English portion) made by the Secretary
for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, after attending the meeting of the Panel
on Health Services of the Legislative Council this morning (November 14):
Reporter: (On human papillomavirus (HPV) being found in public places.)
Secretary for Food and Health: We have sought some preliminary opinions from
the Department of Health, particularly the experts on sexually transmitted
diseases. The view is that it has not been substantiated that the cervical
cancer-related HPV can be transmitted (seeded to the cervix) through contact
without any sexual intercourse. I think this is something that we need not
worry about too much. Also, another opinion is that the so-called HPV in the
environment is not the type responsible for cervical cancer but for certain
other skin diseases.
Reporter: Will you encourage women to take the HPV vaccination?
Secretary for Food and Health: This will depend on the opinion of the
vaccine expert committee of the Department of Health. According to them, the
indication is very strict for young females, particularly those who never
had any sexual experience.
Reporter: (On Mainland pregnant women giving birth in Hong Kong.)
Secretary for Food and Health: According to reports from some hospitals,
particularly the Princess Margaret Hospital, there were pregnant women from
the Mainland who gave a wrong expected date of confinement to the obstetrics
departments so that they could get the (delivery) quota from those
hospitals. We are concerned that this might cause unnecessary chaos in the
hospitals, particularly if these pregnant women came in much earlier than
the expected date. That is the reason why we have been investigating what is
the best way to ensure that they would behave properly and the quota system
will be handled very carefully.
(Please also refer to the
Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Monday, November 14, 2011
Issued at HKT 12:52
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